(based on the VPN app)
By Waiching
Pluto TV is an ad-supported free TV streaming service app that supposedly airs live, as well as on-demand content. If you don't mind ads and watching syndicated classic TV episodes and shows, Pluto TV might be for you.
Pluto TV is owned by Paramount Global (it was later acquired by Viacom CBS in 2019, four years after its launch in 2014 in Beta mode) and the majority of its U.S. content comes from Comedy Central, Paramount, and TV Land. It offers a wealth of content across 250 + channels and the channels are divided into subcategories and themes: these include Movies, Entertainment, News, Classic TV, Comedy and Food.
Similar mobile apps that offer free TV content include Tubi, which contains TV shows and movies from Warner Bros, MGM, Paramount and Lionsgate, Plex and Roku.
When I am not fussed and want to watch whatever is available and when it is available, I pretty much switch it on and around 9 times out of 10, I tend to find a show or movie I like or am interested in. Sometimes however, they air reruns of particular films or episodes of TV shows (these include South Park, Baywatch, Criminal Minds, and Survivor): I am not into these shows per se, so I cannot offer my personal opinions on each of them.
Pluto TV has a wide variety of channels, but not so broad range of programmes and films. The U.K. service it offers isn't as impressive, nor appealing compared to its U.S. counterpart, based on its content, which is why I often use a VPN to access content from overseas regions. Although recently, it has upped its game with Come Dine With Me, The Drew Barrymore Show, MTV Classic, MTV Queens of Pop and K-Pop channels.
If you don't want to pay anything to watch TV, then Pluto is a good choice; there are no upfront or hidden charges, whatsoever, no monthly or annual subscription fees to contend with and whilst it doesn't quite replace Sky and Channel 4's On Demand service, other digital TV and may I add YouTube completely, it is a great way to waste time when there is nothing else on terrestrial or digital TV, - so long as you aren't too picky or fussy about what you find. It can be hit-or-miss and is a hodgepodge of the weird, wonderful, niche, the familiar and in-between.
That, and you need to be wary that not all of the content is new and that they are reruns, repeats of episodes, and films of yesteryear that do not get made, any more.
Pluto's On Demand selection of movies is reminiscent of what you will find on Netflix: the main difference is you pay nothing compared to Netflix and the films are general B-movies, direct-to-DVD stuff, yet you can also find the odd hidden treasure in there. Popular films may include Beverly Hills Cop, Forrest Gump, and Pulp Fiction and these are on a rotational basis. Its sports offerings in the U.S. version are neither conventional nor comprehensive; rather its choices are aimed at specialist or die-hard fans of that genre/brand such as TNA Impact, UFC, and Glory Kickboxing. Surprisingly, I noticed the U.K. Pluto TV lacks any sports channels; alas sports fans residing in Britain will be disillusioned.
If there is one category that needs upgrading, it is food; as a lover of food, it feels underwhelming and it could do with episodes featuring the likes of Keith Floyd, Anthony Boudain, Bobby Flay, Ken Hom, and Ainsley Harriot to name. In the U.K. version alone, there are only three food-based channels and yet they all fall under the Living category.
Pros +
- Is completely free, no sign-up is required
- Easy-to-navigate interface
- Available across all platforms: Android, iOS, online, smart TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire, Roku
- When using a VPN, you have a much wider selection of channels to choose from other regions of the world
Cons -
- But for some exceptions, channels are not really live in terms of real-time
- Ads are unskippable
- Lack of variety in terms of channel and content choices
- So-called Top-tier channels such as NBC News and BBC News are watered-down/scaled down
Final Verdict:
Pluto TV still has room to grow: it is cable TV for free and in terms of content, given it is free, is pretty impressive, so long as you can tolerate the ads. It needs more quality and diverse content to cater to different audiences whose market they have yet to tap into.
For those on a budget or who want to watch TV as and when they want without worrying about missing a particular show or film, this app has you covered.
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